The Queen || ✔

Chapter 29: Endangered Queen

Claudia

We walked down the stairs, and I could sense everyone's anticipation from a mile away. They all wanted to know what happened, and what did I do? Not much, I just 'opened Mary's eyes'. And now she knew exactly what was happening around her, she was looking at everything from a different perceptive, all because of her dear aunt who loves her wholeheartedly.

We faced everyone in front of us.

Mary stepped forward and everyone's heart caught in their throats.

"No please... don't be afraid." She pleaded with them, and Charlene looked up in shock, she hadn't heard that softness in her daughter's voice in years.

"Mary?" She asked, trying to stand by herself. Alex helped her up and they walked towards a trembling Mary. Then suddenly, they stopped.

"Is it safe?" Charlene asked in fear, and Mary cried out in pain.

"Mom." She wept, making all of them shed a tear too. "I'm so so-sorry for my behaviour... these p-past few years. I'm so so so so sorry... I don't even know how to sho-show you how sorry I am... I'm so sorry."

Everyone wept at the beautiful mother daughter scene, and I also wanted to smile at the faces of relief that I had caused, but then I got a call that disrupted my serenity. It was from Blade.

I walked out of the room and out of the house onto the front porch. I swiped right and answered the phone.

"Mam, I just got a call from Bullet. Everything's falling apart back in the King mansion."

I felt my face frowning and I rolled my eyes and sighed. Charles and his overdramatic low self-esteem!

"What's wrong?" I asked, honestly feeling extremely uninterested.

"It seems as though he has lost his mind, Bullet himself said that he feared for his life. Claudia... I'm not quite sure if it was a good idea for us to leave your kids back there alone."

"What are you saying Blade?! Are my kids safe?!"

"Claudia calm down, I'm already on it. Everyone will be landing any minute now, you need to come back to the hotel now."

Dammnit Charles! He couldn't get to me physically, so he decided to do it through my kids in my absence. That man was just a devil incarnate, and I was going to shove my cross up his ass if he kept pushing my limits.

"Alright. I'm on my way..."

"Ok..."

"... wait!" I said, I wasn't finished. "What about Hilary and TsiTsi?" I asked in fear, the more he searched, the closer he'd get. I got my family, but I wasn't done with his.

"Still in SA. I honestly think that you should bring them here too, Charles almost hurt Bullet, only God knows what he's now capable of doing just to get his hands on them. Claudia..."

"What?" I asked, hoping only for encouragement. I secretly had a lump in throat, I knew what Charles was capable of when he was angry, he's just been fading lately and that's why I've had my way with him.

But ever since I took Hilary and TsiTsi away, he's found his burning spark back and he's adding fuel to it, with each passing moment, he was turning into a flame.

"... take care. Drive safely. Charles' men are still there."

"What men?"

"Charles has had men looking and keeping track of your family for all these years... just to make sure that they don't misbehave. Those men could still be there... watching you."

"So what you're basically telling me that my family have never been safe?! Even with me here, they're not safe?!" I screamed in anger, but was also terrified.

Charles could've called a hit on them at any time and I didn't even know about it. Why was Blade only telling me this now?!

"Calm down! You know that you can't think straight when you start overreacting, pull yourself together!"

I breathed in heavily, and then let it out. He was right, I didn't think right when I was in my head. I had to stay focused, Charles could attack at any time, and I had to make sure that my family was safe.

"I've got everyone back at home, you take care of the Hilary issue. We need to move fast before Charles realises that we've already made your move."

"Ok..."

"... and Claudia... don't let anyone know about this. If Hera were to find out..."

"... I know my little lamb. I've got her under control."

I assured him. Then hung up the phone and walked back in.

I walked into the living room and all eyes were immediately on me. Mary was in her mother's arms and my mother was putting tea on the table. Hera looked at me and I signalled to her that we must go, and she grew worried.

"Claudia... I know it's Claudia. Only Claudia can make an entire room of people mum. Claudia is it you?" Charlene asked with a smile on her face. To think that all these people weren't safe because of me made my stomach turn.

"Claudia baby, what's wrong? Is there a problem?" My mom asked me while walking to me. I looked at her, with my emotionless expression, and she flinched.

I pulled her into a warm hug and she tensed her whole body.

"Claudia what happened? Was it that phone call? Why are you acting so strange?"

Hera rolled over towards me and I let my mother go, leaving her confused and dismayed.

"So far you've seen the old me. The naïve me who loved and cherished and wanted nothing but to see her family happy. You've been ecstatic, and that makes me so happy, but now you must know the truth.

My children... their father is Charles. I didn't make it out, I actually stayed. Willingly. I had kids with him, built a family with him, became the Queen and now I'm Claudia King.

I'm not who you all think I am. I've changed, and not for the better. I've done something recently that I do not regret, which I should, but now I know that what I did was the right thing. Even if it means putting your lives in danger.

Because of what I did, you're all in danger. You have been for all these years, you just didn't know it. But now you and I both know the truth. I just want all of you to know that if ever anything happens while I'm here to any of you, tell me. I'll kill the person."

"CLAUDIA! NOT IN MY HOUSE!" My mother tried to scold me, but I knew better. All of this was for her own good.

"Mom. I won't hesitate, won't pull back. I'll take the gun out of its safety, aim it and shoot."

I turned around and began walking out, feeling everyone's eyes on me. I didn't judge them, Queen Claudia King was definitely a very scary person.